In this complete guide , you’ll learn how to select the perfect fabric, measure your window and calculate the yardage you’ll need and sew up quick and easy rod and pocket curtains in no time!
Choosing Fabric Weight
When beginning your hunt for the perfect curtains fabrics, the search can feel a little exhausted! If you’re unfamiliar with choosing fabrics for a project, always be sure to consider texture, color and pattern repeats.
Fabric weight, texture and transparency all are essential in the overall mood of a room and are a key element to consider when choosing curtain fabric.
Lightweight curtains Fabrics like cotton and linen will allow some light to pass through and create a breezy effect. You might consider this fabric option in a kitchen, laundry room or bathroom where you’d enjoy more light. Choose the desire curtain fabric that matches the color of your room.
Heavyweight curtains fabrics like velvet and damask will block more light and it will give you a more comfortable sleep and fall in heavier folds creating a warmer and more romantic mood in living rooms and bedrooms. If you’re looking to control light and visibility in spaces like bathrooms and bedrooms, there are different types of curtains linings that can allow you to to completely block light, usually referred to as blackout linings or fabrics but we recommend you the one with a double layer to make sure that no light visible in the inner side of your apartment.
Measuring and Curtain Placement
There are some common mistakes homeowners make when hanging drapes and curtain rods are choosing curtains that are to two short for the room and hanging rods too close to the window trim. This makes it seem like the ceilings are low and the windows smaller. You can drastically create the illusion of higher ceilings by placing curtain rods almost to the ceiling. A good rule of thumb is halfway between the top of the window trim and the ceiling, but take your personal preference into account to get better results.
TIP: The longer the curtain the easier the tailor will be able to adjust it.
The standard curtains panels for 35” windows you can purchase in a store are usually about 50” wide. In most rooms 96” long panels would slightly touch the floor while having a rod placed well above the top of the window trim. If you have an older house you might find that the proportions are different and require more customized measurements to appropriate cover the window and hit the floor at the proper length. After measuring the width of the final rod placement add an additional 6-8” width to your total width depending on your curtain style to account for seam allowance and some extra gather.
Choose A Hanging & Installation Method
The next will be to choose a hanging style for your DIY curtains! We will cover a few basic styles that are ideal for beginner and intermediate sewists.
Rod & Pocket
The rod and pocket style is great for newcomer sewists and renters! You can easily achieve different looks by altering the length and fabric weight of curtains panels. Tension rods are an economical way to hang curtains without installing any hardware that could damage trims. You can sew quick valances with a few yards of fabric to temporarily conceal roller shades and blinds and install in minutes with tension rods! Stylize the hem shape or add trim to add design elements to your desire element.
Tabs “Intermediate sewists”
Adding tabs to curtains is slightly a little bit more of work but it can allow for curtains to create larger folds when pulled to the sides instead of bunching up and creating gathers on the rod like the rod + pocket method. Cut and sew 3-4” wide strips to fold in half and attach to the curtains header evenly distributed along the finished width of the panel.
Ring Clips
Using different types of ring clips is another quick and easy way to create a beautiful effect and is ideal for beginners as you go on with your DIY project .
Pleat Hooks and Tape
Transform regular panels with curtains clips and curtains tape to create orderly folds at the top of the curtains. Just be sure to add an additional 6” per fold to your overall fabric width to accomodate folds while still covering the windows when drawn closed.
Grommets
Get the grommet look without the hammer and hassle! Simply measure and mark hole placement with chalk along the panel’s top edge, distributed equally depending on the amount of grommets you desire to put in, cut out the center, and press the grommets into place! Now you can easily slide curtain panels onto a curtain rod for easy installation!
Sewing Basic Panels and Linings
Sewing window treatments is a great home improvement project for those just getting comfortable on a sewing machine because essentially you’re only sewing straight lines!There’s not need of a piece work or pattern making required.
Once you’ve determined the desired dimensions of your finished curtains, add 1” seam allowance to the bottom and sides of the panel and add an additional 3”+ inches to the top of your curtain panel to accommodate the width of your curtain rod (if using rod & pocket method). Turn-under the raw edges ½” and turn over again to create a ½” fold. Press the edge and pin in place before sewing around the outside of the panel. Fold the top edge down 3” and test that your curtain rod can still pass through the channel before top stitching down the fold. This pocket will allow a rod to pass through to easily install in a window.
1) First what you gonna do is take the folded end and tuck it in under the bottom edge of the fold, repeat the same process with the rest and space them out evenly.
Tip: Make sure you pin it to have more control over the fold you’ve made.
2) Fold the under top so its even with the top of the curtain after you gonna iron and pin to secure and you will repeat that for the rest.
3) Finally sew all the sides of the top to secure every tab you’ve made.
4) The curtain panel is ready to be used!
